HC orders swift sewage connections near Mala lake

Panaji: The Bombay high court on Tuesday directed the Sewerage and Infrastructure and Development Corporation of Goa Ltd to process all sewage connection applications of residents near Mala lake within one week. This is regarding a suo motu PIL concerning large quantities of dead fish found floating in Mala lake.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) notified the high court that out of 38 show-cause notices issued to houses in the vicinity of Mala lake that had no sewerage connections, 17 houses have now been connected to the sewerage line. Another seven have constructed soak pits, and therefore there’s no discharge from 24 houses into the lake, said advocate S Karpe representing the CCP. The rest of the houses releasing sewage into the lake have been sealed, the CCP informed the high court.

The court also directed the Goa state pollution control board to conduct fresh qualitative and quantitative tests of the lake’s water and place the interim results before it.

Last month, the HC directed a joint inspection of the area to identify those discharging sewage directly and stated that no prior notices were required to take action under the CCP Act and the Public Health Act regarding environmental degradation and health hazards.

In April, the HC took suo motu cognisance of reports of dead fish in Mala Lake and ordered urgent measures to improve water quality.